2

Geneva

Earth

"There is something very wrong with this picture." Chapel stated firmly, his lined expression underlining his point. "I don't believe it for a second."

"The Warmaster sounded genuine." Sheridan responded with a slight shrug. "I know Dilgar Madam President, they're quite similar to us in how they communicate. If he was lying I'm pretty sure I could have spotted it."

"Or he's just a damn good liar." Chapel warned.

"That is a possibility." Sheridan accepted in his Southern twang. "I wouldn't recommend jumping in feet first, but we can't afford to ignore something like this."

President Levy accepted both opinions with a nod of acknowledgement.

"To say it's a surprise doesn't do it justice." She offered her thoughts. "It sounds a lot like the Dilgar are giving us what we need when we need it. It's damn convenient."

"We know from the war the Dilgar had surprisingly good sensors." Chapel reminded. "It is possible, but I can't see them just anteing up something like this. It's a major advantage and nobody just gives away their edge on somebody else."

"Especially not a power as reviled and under threat as the Dilgar." Sheridan had to agree. "But whatever the motives we have to give it consideration."

"Do we believe what they are saying?" Levy sought her advisers opinions. "That this is about revenge?"

Beside Chapel and Sheridan General Dayan had returned this time joined by Earth's Secretary of State, Luis Santiago. Santiago was not part of Levy's political party but his skill and popularity had earned him a place in the cabinet. He was amiable and open minded, a career politician with a strong record as a diplomat and facilitator. Like Sheridan he was an extremely sharp man but masked much of that wit behind the veneer of a friendly faced elder statesman.

"We have to consider the source of the offer." Santiago raised. "It isn't just from the Dilgar government, from what the Warmaster said this offer started with Jha'dur. This isn't simply a matter of politics, it's a personal offer from the most evil creature still drawing breath."

Nobody suggested he was exaggerating. Warmaster Jha'dur was the most famous, or perhaps infamous, of her race. If it was possible to distil the Dilgar into one being, to condense and emphasise their traits into a single form she was it. Extremely intelligent, resourceful, considered and innovative she had out thought and then beaten every opponent she faced. She had lost battles and suffered massive casualties at Earth's hands but had rallied at Balos and held the line until the Allied offensive ran out of steam. It was generally accepted she had almost single handedly saved her people from utter defeat through sheer skill and determination, something which demanded respect.

She was also cruel, sadistic, vindictive and quite probably psychotic on a scale that dwarfed any known war criminal in the history of the known worlds. The qualities that would have earned her grudging respect in her enemies were completely obscured by her horrific excesses when it came to pacifying the worlds she had conquered. Nobody knew the true death toll of the war, but it easily exceeded ten billion and a lot of that was placed at her feet.

Even worse for many people was the personal enjoyment she was rumoured to take in experimenting on individuals. Rather than leave the task to orbital strikes she preferred to use biological weapons and took glee in experimenting on living beings, inflicting tortures that were beyond repeating. Evil was a word that was used a lot in every day life and to many had lost its potency. Someone like Jha'dur gave evil back its true definition.

"I've seen the aftermath of some of her other gifts." Dayan curled his lips into a snarl. "There aren't enough body bags on the planet to deal with what she does to people."

"I can believe that she holds a grudge." Sheridan weighed in. "If it is true that the Minbari attacked her I can understand why she'd want to hit back. What does concern me is that she isn't doing it personally."

"Most psychopaths I've dealt want to be the one dishing out the pain." Chapel agreed. "It isn't enough to watch somebody else doing it. I'm sure she'll be glad to see a whole bunch of Minbari burn, but I seriously doubt that's the real reason behind this."

"Which begs the question what is?" Levy asked. "Opinions?"

"I think she's trying to drive a wedge between this government and the League." Sheridan suggested. "She offers us help, then lets it leak out that we're making under the table deals with the most hated race in the universe."

"It'll piss off the League." Chapel nodded. "Especially the Drazi, they were very keen to wipe the Dilgar off the map, still are."

"The Drazi who are the only ones to offer us substantial military aide." Dayan reminded the room. "That could have some serious backlash."

"If we accept this I strongly suggest we talk to the League." Santiago spoke. "Make sure the Dilgar can't use this to bite us in the back side later."

"Will the League accept it if we are open?" The President asked.

"It's possible." Sheridan nodded. "Most have heard of the Minbari, some of the older powers are very wary of them. They'll understand that we're going to need help to stand a fair chance in this war and if they can't offer it we'll go to someone who can."

"We've got a lot of diplomatic currency with the alien governments." Santiago added. "A lot of popularity. It will take a hit if we cut a deal with the Dilgar, but it's not something that's going to hurt us in the long term. Not diplomatically anyway."

"We're more worried about the system itself." Dayan picked up a new thread of discussion. "I ran the idea past our head of research, in his view the biggest danger is hooking up an alien system from a potentially hostile power into our ships. For it to work properly we'll need to install Dilgar software into our core systems, put their code in our main computers."

"That doesn't sound good." Levy frowned.

"The sensor system is tied into everything. Navigation, communications, weapons, jump drives. If there was something hidden in there the Dilgar could seize control of our vessels remotely, completely bypassing our cyber warfare defences."

"That's our main concern too." The EIA Director cautioned. "This could be an excuse to introduce a vulnerability to our ships for the Dilgar to exploit later."

"Can we defend against it? Isolate the Dilgar systems?"

"It is possible, but if they have an aggressive virus in there it could still break through." Chapel guessed. "I have people who can test it, but we all know how devious the Dilgar can be."

"Well I think that covers the risks. Is it going to be worth it?"

"I don't think so." Dayan shook his head. "We have other methods we're going to try first, I'm confident we can break Minbari stealth without taking candy from mass murderers."

"I'd recommend taking a sample, one set." Sheridan gave the opposite view. "try it out on one ship, see how it works, if there are any anomalies."

"I'm reluctantly in favour too." Chapel said. "Even if we do find our own methods to beat the Minbari systems this is a chance to get a look at Dilgar technology. I know people who'd sacrifice virgins for that opportunity."

"I'm in favour too." Santiago concluded. "Aside from the technical aspects this has allowed us to open dialogue with elements in the Dilgar Imperium. At some point in the future we are going to have to engage with them, I'd rather open talks with someone like Dal'shan than Jha'dur and her kind."

It was a risk, there was no doubt about it. What concerned Levy most was the speed of the offer, the fact that the Dilgar had walked in with this golden egg within two weeks of hostilities starting. Levy and her staff knew that the Minbari were turning into a massive threat but not many others did, the loss of Cyrus Colony and the ease it was taken weren't public knowledge. Indeed when Dal'shan departed the colony was still in human possession, before that point there were only hints at how powerful the Minbari war machines were.

It seemed to her the Dilgar had pre-empted them in recognising the dangers which to Levy confirmed that the Dilgar had indeed met the Minbari before. While she did not believe this was an act of altruism or even revenge, she could believe that payback was a motivation in it even if there was more they weren't being told. It was dangerous, it had all the makings of a trap, but lives were at stake and if the science divisions couldn't come up with a human engineered solution to the Minbari soon this Dilgar option might be their one choice.

"Alright David, tell the Warmaster we'll take a few examples for evaluation."

"Yes Madame President."

"Ari, you take one and give it to the Skunkworks. Vic, put your best tech guys on it and make sure there are no surprises."

"I know just the people." Chapel confirmed.

"Better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it." Levy reasoned. "Hold off telling the League for now, if it turns out we need to deploy these devices actively we'll talk then."

"On that note Madame President I've been in contact with Admiral Thornhill of the Fourth Fleet." General Dayan reported. "Her forces are fully supplied and ready to move to Cyrus."

"That's good news." Levy nodded, exhibiting a decrease in tension. "I expected it to take longer?"

"I guess Anne lit a fire under those rear echelon lay abouts." Dayan cackled briefly. "She's got her people together, we just need your final approval."

"How many ships are we talking about?"

"Over six hundred in the fourth, all of them top of the line." Dayan informed. "The Beta model Nova Dreadnoughts and Delta series Hyperions, much tougher than the earlier models we used against the Dilgar. They all use pulse cannons, fast firing, good range and plenty of punch."

"So even if we can't get a solid lock on the Minbari we can just fill space with so much gunfire it's bound to do the job." Chapel theorised. "How many Minbari?"

"Base don jump traffic about a hundred, hard to say for sure, but they seem to be holding station in Cyrus." Dayan informed. "Probably waiting for reinforcements."

"Is it possible to have one of these Dilgar sensor devices present at the battle?" Levy asked. "Have it observe from range, test its claims?"

"If they can give us an example within the week, probably." Chapel answered.

"Try and do so. General, mission approved."

"Yes Madame President. I should warn you however that given the power of the Minbari fleet casualties are going to be high. I'm confident our training and spirit will carry the day, and we do outnumber the Minbari heavily, but you should still be prepared."

"I understand General. Keep me informed of events, and on that note I think we're done. Anything else?"

"Not at this time Madame President."

"Thank you Gentlemen, I shall leave these matters in your capable hands."

Alaska

North American Federation

The following day.

There were quite a few things she meant to change in the house. The vid link was a little glitchy, half the doors creaked, and then there was the doorbell. It was electronic of course but whoever had lived here before her had insisted on making the chime sound like an actual bell. She hated it, every time somebody came to call the entire house sounded like the bell tower at Notre Dame. What made it even worse was that she had just started brushing her teeth leaving her moderately indisposed.

"Freddy! Get the door!"

A few moments later the needless 'ding dong' sounded again, the sound being the audio equivalent of some fat schoolboy flicking her ears.

"Dammit Freddy!" She spat flecks of toothpaste on the bathroom mirror. "Door! Open! Now!"

The only response was another chime from the front door, sawing away at her nerves.

"Fine." She spat and quickly rinsed, not fast enough to avoid another push of the button. "I hate this so much right now."

With a hint of fire in her temper she purposefully strode across the living room, shooting a look up the stairs to the recalcitrant Freddy's room.

"Don't think you'll be getting away with this!"

With the well practised resignation of a parent she opened the door, pausing in mild surprise at her guest.

"What's up with the bell?" Vic Chapel asked. "I had a flashback to church as a kid."

Jennifer Sakai burst into an expansive smile, her frustrations replaced swiftly by warmth.

"Vic? What are you doing out here?"

They embraced briefly as she invited him in, closing the door behind them.

"Just coming to see how my best agent is doing." He replied, looking around the room and drinking in the details. Typical EIA operative behaviour.

"Ex-Agent." She reminded gently. "I retired remember? Family and stuff?"

"Oh yeah, that." He smiled over his shoulder. "How's that working out for you?"

"You always ask that question." She chided. "And then you talk about the good old days and how much you think I'd like to get back in the game."

"Okay, so I'm predictable." He shrugged with a grin. "I'm also right."

"I'm fifteen year solder and maybe five years wiser." Jenny smiled back. "I can't do all that spy stuff anymore, yesterday I pulled a muscle taking off a pair of boots."

"You're just rusty, we can fix that."

"you're a good friend Vic, but you suck at coercion."

"True, I'm I bit more direct usually. Pliers, electrodes, not really that useful in polite company."

"Nice work reminding me why I left the business in the first place. Want some snacks?"

"Sure." Chapel dropped onto the couch. The living room was clean and spacious, one wall was entirely glass giving an amazing vista on the Alaskan wilderness beyond. Snow capped mountains and a glacial lake dominated the view with nothing resembling civilisation for a hundred miles in any direction.

"Sweet or savoury?" She fumbled through the kitchen.

"Stop putting me in these impossible situations." Chapel dead panned.

"Both then." She laughed. "Drink?"

"Just water, I have to fly back home, this place is harder to reach than my ex wife's lawyers."

"I always said I'd retire to a place where I could get away from it all."

"Not an idle threat." Chapel looked through the windows.

"Besides, I also made plenty of enemies." She returned with some food and glasses of water, laying them on a coffee table. "No chance of being surprised out here."

"Except by old fiends?"

"Radar had you locked twenty miles away, but I didn't expect you to head up here personally. I thought you'd send a minion, didn't think you liked the cold."

"I don't, but I also didn't think anyone else could do the job."

"Alright then." She took a drink of ice cold utterly clear water. "I know what you want."

"Like you said, same thing we always end up talking about." Vic confirmed her thoughts. "But this time I mean it."

"You didn't before? I'm wounded."

"We always wanted you back in the Firm, but until now its been easy going. Narn plots, domestic terrorism, Mars Rebels, all day to day stuff. Of course now things have changed."

"This whole Minbari business." Jenny guessed.

"What do you know about it?"

"Only what's on the news, a border skirmish, we lost a few ships, they lost a few ships, the Foreign Office is trying to open a dialogue before it escalates. I'm guessing David Sheridan is calling the shots?"

"Yeah, Sheridan is taking a lead, but the truth is much worse then what ISN is broadcasting."

"Usually is."

"Truth is we've lost nearly fifty ships in a week for as far as we can tell no Minbari casualties."

That news definitely shook her.

"We also lost our outpost at the Spartan Transfer Point and have lost all contact with Cyrus Colony." Vic continued. "They are over our border in strength and appear to be consolidating their position."

"That's sounding pretty bad." She shook her head. "What are we doing?"

"A major counter attack is going in next week, the whole Fourth Fleet. The general's are confident we can push them back through sheer weight of numbers if nothing else but it's going to be bloody. The Minbari are a lot more advanced than we are, even with numbers on our side it's going to be a bitch of a fight."

Jenny tapped the side of her glass as she thought, her mind ticking over as it ran through the scenario.

"What happens after the battle?"

"We're hoping a clear victory will show the Minbari we are serious, encourage them to answer our calls." Chapel informed. "So far we have no contact, we've tried interlac and have some people going through Centauri translations of their language but it's pretty complicated."

"So we want to negotiate a settlement?"

"There are a few in the fleet who'd prefer to take the war to the Minbari, some hawks in the government are furious anyone would cross our border." Chapel related with scorn. "But most of us want to stop this before it starts. We haven't got much to gain by fighting and looking at what their ships are doing to ours a hell of a lot to lose."

"Sounds like it's a job for the Navy then." Jenny observed. "And the diplomats."

"It is, but I've also got a little side job needs doing." Chapel crunched down on some of the snacks. "Sort of job I need a specific skill set for."

"Retired." Was all Jenny said. "Want me to look it up in the dictionary for you?"

"Just hear me out on this one."

"Vic…"

"Come on, I've travelled a long way, and damn is it cold up here."

She rolled her eyes despite herself.

"Fine."

"How's the Space Race doing?" Vic wondered.

"The Race? Pretty good last I heard. My niece was running it before she joined the Force."

"Catherine Sakai right?"

"That's her. When she enlisted, which for the record I was not in favour of, Jors took over. Last I heard he and Toby were running her on trips to the League."

"She was a good little freighter, especially with all the stuff we installed on her. Still got all that gear?"

"She's still got it. Uprated engines, interceptors, but we had to give the armed cargo pods back after the war ended. Guess Earth Force wasn't thrilled with the idea of a bunch of civvies running around with capital grade plasma cannons and nukes."

"That little ship did a lot of work for us against the Dilgar. I'm looking to bring her back in." Vic revealed. "I've got a job for her."

"Then you want to be talking to Jors, I'm not flying anymore."

"No, but its not just the ship I need, I need the crew too. Francis is very eager to be back with the team."

"Francis O'Leary." Jenny smiled. "How is he doing? Heard he had twins?"

"His wife did all the hard work." Vic grinned widely. "He's fine, he runs the cyber warfare division these days but he recognises the importance of the situation and is prepared for a little fieldwork. But we need your help."

"I'm not the one you want to be talking to."

"You're always my first call. I had a lot of students, you were the best."

"I don't see what we can do out there." She shook her head. "What do you need the Race for anyway?"

"The details are classified, but we need a ship to test out a new form of sensor technology."

"Why not an Earth Force ship?"

"There's some concern over the stability of the system." Vic said carefully. "A warship is very heavily reliant on its computers, if something goes wrong it could kill a hundred people."

"But on the Race it'll only kill…"

"Not what I meant." Chapel interrupted. "The Race is an older ship, less sophisticated, far less reliant on its computers. If something goes wrong you can bypass the problem and get clear the old fashioned way. If I remember your reports fixing problems on that ship usually involved whacking something with a hammer."

"Bizarrely it worked every time."

"Bottom line is we need a ship with an upgraded sensor system to test this device, but simple enough so if something goes wrong you can just shut it down and make your own way out." Vic opened his hands. "You're the best game in town."

With a beep the door unlocked and opened, both former field agents snapping their heads around to identify the sudden arrival to this remote location. A well wrapped up man stood in the doorway, tensed, looking ready to break into violence at a moment's notice. He saw Chapel and at once his shoulders relaxed and his body language softened.

"Vic Chapel." The man pulled back his hood. "I didn't think you liked the cold?"

"I knew that was the real reason you two moved up here." The big man smiled. "How's it going Paul?"

"Well you know how it is." Paul Calendar answered with a grin. "Good to be alive."

Jenny walked over and welcomed him home with a kiss, stepping back as he hung up his coat.

"I saw the government skimmer on the pad, I was worried you were the IRS." Paul joked. "Are you trying to recruit my girl again?"

"I'm getting predictable." Vic chuckled. "Not good in a spy master."

"How was Kassi?" Jenny asked. "Get her to school okay?"

"She's fine, but she stomped her feet a bit when Freddy got to stay home."

Compared to parenthood storming a Dilgar base was easy. Paul and Jenny had managed to raise two children in the years since the war, Alfredo who was named for their old friend Alfredo Garibaldi, and Kasumi named for Jenny's grandmother. Alfredo was the elder at fourteen, with Kasumi a precocious and very loud six years old.

"He's supposed to be studying, but he's obviously playing Rebel Yell." She sighed. "It was so much easier back in the day, if someone refused to do what you told them you just started breaking bones."

"Which funnily enough isn't recommended in any parenting book." Paul shared. "I was surprised."

"Because it would probably work." Chapel considered. "Anyway, I was hoping to talk to you too. I have a proposal."

"I don't think we…"

"Does it involve money?" Paul asked. "Because I quite like money."

"Standard rate of pay, which is very generous."

"Paul." Jenny fixed him with a withering stare.

"But money!"

"It's a short term job, one mission, then you can go home." Vic said. "You'll have plenty of back up."

"And the catch?" Paul asked. "There's always a catch."

"You'll have to go to the Cyrus system."

"Okay." Paul nodded. "Long way, but okay."

"Which just fell to the Minbari." Jenny updated him.

"Oh."

"I can't tell you much more, you know how this works, but we could really use your help."

"They want to put us back together on the Race." Jenny said. "Like the old days."

"You guys were a great team, and luckier than a cop in a donut factory." Vic grinned. "I think we could use some good luck. This could be important, risky, but important."

"If it's just one job I think we should do it, put the old team back together." Paul said. "And these Minbari look pretty nasty."

"Very nasty." Chapel confirmed. "This whole crisis is looking worse by the day, lot of people are starting to think we are in way over our heads."

"Maybe." Jenny exhaled. "So you need us to test some new sensor system, that I understand. You want the Race because of how it's built, that I also understand, and you want to send Francis to run this thing which again, with him being a tech wizard, I get. But there is something I haven't figured out yet."

"What?"

"Me." She answered. "Why do you need me? This mission is space based, I'm just going to be spare out there. Nowhere to infiltrate, no one to shoot, the other people on the ship can do their jobs better than I can. So why ask for me too?"

Chapel cleared his throat.

"Well there was one more thing, hardly worth mentioning before now."

"What?"

"As part of the deal to test this new device we had to accept an observer, someone to come along with it. Another reason we didn't want to do this on a warship where this observer might see something important."

"What kind of observer?"

"The kind we might need someone to break the neck of if something goes wrong."

"Which is why you are talking to me." Jenny exhaled. "Who is it?"

"You might recognise the name."

Alaca

New home of the Dilgar Imperium

Battlemaster Ari'shan returned the salute sharply, the two armed guards opening the heavy gateway for him to enter the compound. Security was tight here which was to be expected, the luxury single storey villa was well patrolled and surrounded by heavy walls designed to take artillery strikes. It was unfortunate but normal, since his childhood he had grown up surrounded by this sort of security and considered it part of the back ground. As son of the former Supreme Warmaster Ari'shan had witnessed a few assassination attempts in his time, all of them fortunately unsuccessful. They had been the work of political rivals, a culture which he was thankful to have left behind on Omelos to be burned away by the furious sun. It was one of many things he did not miss from his old home.

The sun here was paler, more distant making Alaca colder than Omelos. Generally speaking Dilgar preferred warmer climates, something more similar to the Narn homeworld would have suited them better but of course beggers could not be choosers. Mitoc would have been perfect, the original League world marked as the new home of the Imperium, but circumstances had prevented that. They were lucky to have Alaca, and while not perfect there wasn't a soul who did not recall with relief the events that led them here.

The occupant of this villa in particular had guaranteed their ownership of this planet and as such the survival of the species in general. In the past this security would have been to prevent attacks by elements of their own race, today it was to defeat alien infiltrators and bounty hunters.

He confirmed his identification at the door. It was a good guess that every Dilgar alive knew his face by this point, Ari'shan had been something of a poster boy for the new Imperium, an example of the traits the Dilgar should embrace to ensure their future. Loyal, honourable, dedicated and diligent Ari'shan was hailed as something of a knight, an image greatly enhanced by his war record. He was acknowledged as the best pilot in the galaxy, his kill count more than double that of his closest rivals. Even more impressively he had never killed an enemy in cold blood and outright refused orders to fire on unarmed civilians, he only fought those who could fight him, much like his brothers.

Gar'shan had three children, Dal'shan was the eldest and joined the fleet following in his father's footsteps as was expected, Kam'shan had joined the army rising to command a prestigious guards division, and Ari'shan as the youngest decided to join the fighter corps, a choice he had never regretted. He lived for the challenge of duelling a worth enemy, single combat against a similar pilot plane against plane, knight against knight. It was a romantic notion, one reality kept trying to destroy, but for Ari'shan it was the only true test of a warrior's skill.

He had fought well in the war up to Balos when he had finally met his match and was shot down by the human ace David Sinclair. After the war Ari'shan was repatriated at the insistence of Earth Force despite his family connections and League demands for his blood, his reputation as a man of honour hitting a note with his human adversaries. The war had claimed his middle brother but Dal'shan had survived to continue following his father letting Ari'shan continue much as he had before.

"You are expected Battlemaster." The last guard told him, then opened the door. The Villa was normal looking but had a few telltale signs it had been enhanced. The doors were abnormally thick, the windows armoured, the walls and roof heavily reinforced. Outside the grounds were patrolled but inside it seemed empty, something Ari'shan knew was an illusion. He couldn't see them but he knew they were there, Spectres, the elite of the Dilgar military, special forces agents in black light camouflage suits rendering them all but undetectable. His father had founded them and they had been enthusiastically adopted by his host.

He spotted a note on the closest chair which simply said 'on the roof' and pointed a drawn arrow to the staircase. It was clear enough, the officer marching up the stairs and back into the clear sunlight, the air still a little chilly despite over a decade on this world by now. He didn't think he'd ever get used to it.

"Ari, please." An armed stretched from a high backed chair looking outward, pointing to an accompanying chair.

He accepted the invitation, joining his host and glancing out at the view. He felt vulnerable looking out over the green countryside over the security wall, in plain sight of any snipers who could be waiting. They weren't there for him of course, but it was still disconcerting. He constantly wondered how the person sat next to him dealt with being the focus of so much hatred and vehemence.

"Your brother is on his way back from Earth." Warmaster Jha'dur said in deceptively casual tones, the voice of somebody living completely at ease with themselves. "It was a success, the humans have asked for three sets of targeting sensors for testing."

"I'll admit I'm surprised." Ari answered truthfully. "I didn't think they'd be ready to deal with us, even for something this valuable."

"You can thank the Minbari for that, they have a way of forcing people to adjust their priorities."

"Human media says the war is still very low key, a few skirmishes."

"Obviously a lie, by this point the humans must have lost at least a task force, otherwise they wouldn't even have opened the door for our offer." Jha'dur reasoned. "They've learned the same lesson we did, the Minbari fleet is a nightmare."

Ari shuffled to find a comfortable position, still feeling awkward.

"There's no one out there." Jha'dur seemed to read his mind. "My security is the best there is, even the Centauri can't get an agent within a hundred miles, and believe me, they have tried."

"When was that? I never heard?"

"A month ago." She said. "The head of the Centauri Secret Service should be getting a very funny parcel in the post any day now. Well, funny if you like tentacles. Did I ever tell you about Centauri anatomy?"

"Yes, when I was ten, gods I hated that talk."

"I'm always amazed by alien biology, so much variety, so many different methods of achieving the same thing." She smiled. "And yet all of it so susceptible to getting stabbed by sharpened pieces of metal. You'd think at least one species would be able to survive vivisection. But no."

"So now that the humans have taken up our offer, do we proceed?" He brought them back on topic.

Her smile faded, the Warmaster looking over to her younger colleague.

"Look, Ari, when you made this suggestion I was in favour of it. I know you quite like these humans and honestly I almost like them myself, but there is a big leap between liking them and trusting them."

"We both fought them in the war, you know what they are like."

"Yes I do, they are willing to do what is necessary to win." Jha'dur said harshly. "They fought decently against us, but if we had been winning and if we had been waging war in their space do you think they would have been so generous in their terms? Of course not, they'd have nuked us into oblivion."

"I've spent time among them, you haven't."

"I don't have to, I studied them and tested them in battle. Take my word for it, if it was a choice between our extermination and their own they'd push the button that wiped us out in a second. That's why this whole Minbari business is so fascinating, the Minbari are demanding humanity is exterminated and they have the power to do it. I want to see what humanity does when it is forced into a corner."

"They'll fight back even harder."

"Yes, and when that doesn't work they'll carpet bomb Minbari colonies and break out bio weapons. They stole enough of my materials from Balos to wipe out every planet in the galaxy twice over."

"I think you're wrong."

"And I think you are still a naïve optimist, that's why I am against your decision."

"I already have approval from the Council, when the devices are delivered I will go with them and supervise the tests." Ari informed. "I'm the only one who can."

"We can just give them written instructions, they don't need a tutor."

"But they do need to know they can trust us. If I go it is a sign of trust, proof we are not trying to trick them. If it was a trick why would I risk myself?"

"Because you are a naïve optimist, we've covered that."

"Earth Force knows me, they'll accept me."

"That at least is true, they've approved your visa, the first one ever I might add." Jha'dur sighed. "If you are determined to carry this task out you are free to do so, I can't stop you."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me until you come home, I was concerned when Dal'shan chose to make this offer in person in the first place. He's a lot smarter than you."

Ari cracked a laugh. "Thanks!"

"You know what I mean." She lifted an eyebrow and shook her head. "You people from the Shan family, you really need to learn the art of delegation. You don't have to do every mission yourself, that's why we have staff."

"Sometimes you do." He stated firmly.

"Just be careful, not all humans are like your fighter pilot drinking buddies from the war. Some of them hold grudges that would make me proud."

"I'll be fine, and maybe we can make a difference." Ari suggested. "The Minbari are out of control."

Jha'dur accepted that statement without argument.

"It is inelegant." She assessed. "A world gone mad, driven by anger. Very distasteful, anger without focus is a waste, hatred without reason just forces mistakes. Take a look at our incredibly amusing Drazi neighbours. Making them angry and luring them into ambushes was tremendous entertainment, but after sixty times even I got bored. Thank the gods for Stro'kath beating some tactical sense into them. Literally I understand."

"Maybe the humans will do something similar."

"I'll be disappointed if they don't." Jha'dur nodded. "We'll just have to see how the Minbari react. The anger will fade and with it so will their stupidity. Hatred, that's the real test. If it goes too the Minbari will talk, if it doesn't they'll have the coolness to fight well and the drive to fight hard. Very, very dangerous mix."

"I'll see for myself." Ari said.

"That is at least one positive, we've never seen the Minbari engage in a full scale battle before. I will be very interested to read your report."

He rose from the chair and nodded.

"I better make a start, it's a long way to Earth."

"The Narn have granted us a secure shipping lane for a ridiculous fee." Jha'dur sighed. "I'll definitely be complaining about Narn extortion to someone."

"I'll be in touch Warmaster."

"Don't take risks." She warned as he departed. "I still think of you as a younger brother, and it would end your father."

"I understand."

"Good fortune Ari, let me know how it goes."

She gave it about an hour before returning inside, heading down the stairs and into the basement, the large expanse divided into several glass enclosed rooms. Very few knew of this place, even Ari didn't, it was something of an echo of the scientific facilities she used to run. The laboratory was as neat and clinical as one would expect, well stocked with the finest machines and computers. While smaller than her old facilities it was vastly more efficient, her various associations granting her examples of technology nobody else outside a few select circles had access to.

"I can't believe the Narn government." She announced loudly, wrapping the medical robes over her uniform. "I understand they want to make money, especially as their expansion has come to a grinding halt, but really?"

She pulled on her synthetic gloves, entering the lab.

"I can understand how they might try this with some League diplomat, even a human." She talked as she advanced around the table. "But they know who I am, they understand I don't like people trying to take advantage of me."

She picked up a gleaming metal saw.

"It makes me a little upset, then I have to go do something to help me relax."

On the table in front of her a bound and gagged Narn watched her with enormously wide eyes, tracking the saw.

"I know you understand."

"Some of us understand very well." A male voice remarked from the edge of the room.

Jha'dur barely reacted, registering the cloaked figure standing half in shadow.

"I didn't think you people cared for the grim details of what I do?"

"Not usually." The robed figure answered. "We're mainly interested in results, the methods don't really matter."

"The method always matters."

"Very well, a question. You have laser scalpels, plasma cutters, monomolecular filament. This lab has the finest instruments money can buy, and plenty of devices money can't. Yet you are going to open that things head with a hand saw?"

"I like to feel the resistance, the friction." She said simply. "The other methods are too quick, done too soon. I like to take my time, watch their eyes, wait for that moment, that instant when they know you aren't going to stop. That second when hope dies."

She held the thought, relished it for a beautiful, blissful second, then tapped the recorder.

"Experiment N-417. Cranial extraction and examination of Narn telepathic capacity."

She paused the recorder.

"Funniest thing is this is a commission. Oh I'd do it anyway, but I'm being paid by elements in the Narn Government to experiment on their own people to crack this telepath problem they have." She grinned. "And I thought I was a bad person."

"They are animals, they all are." The figure dismissed. "Are you any closer to finishing your work?"

"Getting there." She marked her victims brow with a pen, indicating the cut. "I remember our deal."

"Good."

The figure walked out of the shadows, removing his hood and peering at the Narn.

"How long do they take to die?"

"Watch and see." She picked her saw back up. "Not too close, don't want to ruin those expensive robes."

She rested the blade on the Narn's brow, drinking in the moment before she began, the terror. It was divine.

"So then Sineval, my old friend, tell me about this war of yours."